ous attentions
of the French.

The female inhabitants of our own country are distinguished of those of
France, and probably of every other country, by a certain native,
self-respecting, dignity of appearance and manner, which claims respect
and attention as a right, rather than solicits them as a boon; and gives
you to understand, that the man who does not give them is disgraced,
rather than the woman who does not receive them. We believe it to be
owing to the influence of the causes we have noticed, that this manner,
so often ridiculed by the French, under the name of "hauteur" and
"fierte Anglaise," is hardly ever to be seen among women of any rank in
France. And to a similar influence of the tastes and sentiments of our
own sex, it is easy to refer the more serious faults of the female
character in that country.

On the other hand, the better parts of the character of the French women
are all their own. It is not certainly from the men that they have
learnt those truly feminine qualities, that interesting humility and
gentleness of manner, that pleasing gaiety of temper, and native
kindness of disposition, to which it is very difficult, even for the
proverbial coldness of northern critics, to apply terms of ridicule or
reproach.

* * *

It is not easy for a stranger, in forming his opinion of the moral
character of a people, to make allowance for the modification which
moral sentiments undergo, in consequence of long habits, and
adventitious circumstances. There is no quality which strikes a stranger
more forcibly, in the character of the French of the middling and lower
ranks, than their seeming dishonesty, particularly their uniformly
endeavouring to extract more money for their goods or their services
than they know to be their value. But we think too much stress has been
laid on this part of their character by some travellers. It is regarded
in France as a sort of professional accomplishment, without which it is
in vain to attempt exercising a trade; and it is hardly thought to
indicate immorality of any kind, more than the obviously false
expressions which are used in the ordinary intercourse of society in
England, or the license of denying oneself to visitors. That it should
be so regarded is no doubt a proof of _national_ inferiority, and
perhaps immorality; but while the general sentiments of the nation
continue as at present, an instance of this kind cannot be considered as
a proof of _individual_ base